Chapter Two: Grumpy Old Men

There a way out behind them, but Ico knew they couldn't outrun them, and no way around them, or overpower them even if he had a weapon. He wished he still had the Queens sword.

Yorda peeped quietly and gripped Icos' hand, as they bravely stood their ground. The hooded man stomped up to the two of them and with a large gruff callused hand he grabbed Icos' shirt and yanked him off the ground. He screamed at the boy:

"What have you done? You impudent little wretch!" the hooded man jerked Ico so that his sash ripped off. Ico fell to the sand with a thud and sending dust flying. The man stomped his foot onto the ground uncomfortably close to the in-between of Ico's legs. He gripped his hands into fists and grit his large teeth. "That is the sacred castle of Her Majesty The Queen and ancient burial grounds of monks and knights!"

"Now it's the ancient burial grounds for the Queen." Ico said as he rubbed his elbow. One of the knights had come from behind the yelling man and chortled as he grabbed Yordas' arm. Yorda shrieked at the knight as she writhed loose, which empowered Ico to stand, and he screamed as he lunged toward the knight "Let her go!"

The hooded monk looked at Yorda as if she hadn't been standing there the whole time. If you could have seen his face behind his mask, surely you would have seen him breathless in awe, and also in fear, for he knew Yorda without ever setting eyes on her before. The great man suddenly knelt in front of her, and seeing as the knights didn't follow his actions he said loudly "Neal you fools, she is the Princess! And now she is Our Queen." And they all got down on their knees. The one who had touched Yorda looked particularly pale.

Ico was amazed at their unexpected reverence, having shown none of his own whatsoever towards Yorda or her mother, The Queen. He simply took Yordas' hand and they walked past the men. The hooded man stood up and said calmly to them "What shall I tell the others?"

Ico turned and said, "I am Ico. I have lost my horns in the brilliant battle and have slain the Black Queen of Shadows. I've saved the souls from the Dark Fortress, and I have set the Princess free of her cage!" He glanced at Yorda, who wore a tired but pleasant face and he knew he had to give her justice for her heroism just as much as his. "And when I was nearly dead, the Princess saved me, for the Death of the Old Black Queen meant the ruin of the castle, so both are destroyed. And now Yorda is Queen, who is fair and good to all her followers, and she will be Queen for ever and ever!" and he nodded to himself, thinking that that sounded quite nice. And he turned once again into the forest path up the cliff.

The Hooded Monk called to him "Very well! It shall be written in stone!" The hooded man and the knights stood for a moment, until Ico and Yorda were both out of sight. Then the monk turned to his most stern and stoic knight and mumbled something strange quietly in his ear.

:-:

Ico and Yorda looked out at the ocean from their cliff, over the ruins of the castle. Ico felt a small swelling of pride and amazement of himself. He looked at Yorda, who had no hint of sadness or grief. She tugged on his hand and they left.

Ico placed his free hand over his stomach as it growled at him angrily. He had left his home before daybreak and had awoke on the beach at dusk, and now night was falling around them. His empty stomach reminded him how weak he was after such an eventful couple of days. That, and he suddenly had to urinate. He turned to Yorda "Stay here, ok?" he left her in the path and jumped into some shrubbery. At first Yorda tried to follow him, but when she heard the sound of tinkling, she stood back embarrassed.

Yorda took the moment to wonder if her small friend knew what had happened while he was passed out. How she desperately clung to her own soul as she sat dying. Being as that she was made of the same spiritual stuff as her mother, she knew instinctively that her mother was dead. And, how, after he killed her mother, she had carried him. After that she woke up on the beach. She couldn't yet remember what had happened between then, although she figured that she would eventually.

Ico rustled back through the bush. He smiled at Yorda with his teeth, and wondered if she ever had to pee. He took her hand again and they walked forth.

They had no knowledge that a man of stealth, agility and great strength was silently watching their every move.

ยกTO BE CONTINUED!